The Last Day
by ICanSeeYourFace
Summary: He knows it's their last night together. Well, technically not. She will see him one more time, only… He won't know her. Based on the Last Night-mini episode. Oneshot.


**A/N**: Clearly, I should not roam around YouTube for too long. I'd been listening to Skylar Grey's "Coming Home" for a while when I stumbled across "The Last Day", a mini-episode found on the season 6 box set. Moffat apparently thought we needed a reminder of that thing we'd rather not remember about the Doctor and River. Yeah. If you haven't seen it, you might want to pop by YT and watch it first, the minisode is called "Last Night". First posted this on my tumblr, now posting it here. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own DW.

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_The Last Day_

He knows it's their last night together. Well, technically not. She will see him one more time, only… He won't know her.

Ever since that time on the TARDIS when they stumbled in, he has been dreading this night. Before that, he could dream. Maybe it would happen in another lifetime, in a different body. Knowing it would happen to him, that this body would be the one to lose her, a second time no less, well… It just hurt more.

He was on his way to pick her up (and for once it was nice not to have her break out of prison) to take her to a festival on Saturnalis 3, and he wanted it to be a surprise. It had been some time since they had last met, and in that time she had returned to archaeology, working as something of a freelancer. He made sure the TARDIS materialized out of earshot from her apartment. He was not entirely sure when this was. As always, his trusted ship refused to take him exactly where he wanted to go. The Doctor stuck out his head, taking in the time and place.

It hits him like a slap in the face; 51st century. And while it might just be anywhen during the 51st century, he just knows. This is the day he takes her to the Singing Towers of Darillium. He looks over his shoulder at the console.

"You're not going to let me escape this one, are you?" he mumbles, getting a low hum in reply.

He heaves a sigh, wishing there would be more time.

When he greets River at her door, dressed up in a dress suit and a top hat, she's surprised, even more so when he tells her that Saturnalia 3 can wait and that he'll take her to see the Singing Towers instead. She's overjoyed, almost strangling him as she hugs him.

"I've got a commission," she tells him as they enter the TARDIS. "I'm leaving for an expedition in five days, we're going to the Library, really exciting…"

His hearts skip a beat. She's so excited, so happy. A small, selfish part of him wants to tell her not to go, to stay with him, but he knows he can't do that. He needs her to go to the Library. River doesn't notice the flash of pain in his eyes as she disappears to the closet to pick out a dress. He, of course, already knows which one.

He makes sure they make a small stop on the way, keeping the timeline intact, with River accidentally entering the wrong TARDIS, thus ensuring his younger self will know this day will come. Talking about it, about this being the night he takes her to their final date, isn't any easier this time around. Nevertheless, he plasters on a big smile for River when he returns to his own ship.

The Singing Towers do not disappoint. It's as if they know, and they weave the goodbye into their melodies. He picks up the sonic screwdriver he has prepared ever since that night they stumbled into the ship, making up a story about how she needs to have her own screwdriver so he won't have to bail her out anymore. River jokes that he should have given her this while she was incarcerated, that it would have saved her a lot of lipstick. She kisses him sweetly, and the song shifts again.

"Sweetie, are… are you crying?"

It's all happening, and the fact that it is just makes him cry more.

_"The Towers sang, and you cried. You wouldn't tell me why, but I suppose you knew it was time."_

He lets her make her own assumptions, and he continues to cry until he returns her home. It's a mix of futility and anger and hope that keeps the tears flowing, even after he has kissed her goodnight and returned to the TARDIS. They were always heading for this day, him and River, and nothing he could do could stop it from eventually finding its way to him. He does not want her to leave, does not want to leave her, because he knows how this story ends. But then again… He will be there. He just won't know how important their meeting is. He will meet her in the Library. He will be there when it happens.

She won't be alone.

He takes one final look out the door, finding her window, where light is flooding out into the night.

"All my love to long ago…"

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**A/N**: Reviews are better than the Singing Towers of Darillium. ^^


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